A Force To Be Reckoned With

Our Black Friday society has managed to jump from its designated day, the day after Thanksgiving, to before Thanksgiving.

I love this caption ...

 

Television commercials, flyers in the mail, stores dazzling and tempting every consumer of their extra special $ales prices of must-have items.

 

Black Friday is pure madness.

 

In light of Thanksgiving with Christmas only weeks away, people will trample one another to get the best price of an item they don't need. Campers set up in tents outside of Best Buys seven days ahead of time to be the first in line for Black Friday.

 

What about Thanksgiving? What about the importance of family and a thankful heart for what each of us already has?

 

When it comes to Black Friday, I am a force to be reckoned with.

 

My shopping is done and there is not a single store that I need to step into for the next couple of days as to not deal with hoarding, shopping gluttens that challenge my Christianity and happy disposition.

 

I am not accomplished because I have so much time on my hands, when I worked full-time, took part-time courses, ran my home and raised my girls in a very busy lifestyle, I still managed to plan ahead and avoid the chaos. 

 

Thanksgiving has always been the fourth Thursday of every November and Christmas has always been December 25th. Plan wisely.

 

In our home, the day after Thanksgiving (to America it is Black Friday), is staying safe indoors, decorating our home, and welcoming the Christmas season.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 



With Little Time Left

What if you knew this Thanksgiving day was the last one in your life?

For my ex-husband, Mariah's dad, it is.

Recent medical tests and the doctors informed Eric that ALS is becoming more aggressive than they thought and he is increasing getting much worse than they expected.

There are conversations I need to have with him, but no time seems like the right time. I had todays plans etched in my mind, until I saw a pumpkin roll sitting in my refrigerator. Eric loves my sister-in-law's famous pumpkin rolls.

Spur of the moment, I cut a couple of slices and even put the end slice with all the filling at its thickest on a thanksgiving plate and covered it with saran wrap and took it over.  I'm just going to stop by, drop it off and ask a few questions about Mariah's Christmas gifts (we always discuss her presents together).

With little time left, I need a conversation with him.

*Please God, I hope just his aide is there and he isn't in the middle of physical therapy so he can talk. Please open up opportunities for me to say all the things I need to say and the topics we need to discuss about our daughter.*

Thankfully, I find him awake and in front of the television. I showed him the pumpkin roll, his eyes light up, and the aide said, "Perfect timing, he has been wanting donuts all day!"

Two hours we talked.

We talked about his health, his hopes and wishes for Mariah, family, friends, and laughed about funny moments when we were married. We laughed and we cried. A lot.

I wasn't prepared myself for how bad he is from just a few weeks ago. He is significantly worse. His respiratory failing, when he drinks he nearly drowns. When he cries he will burst into spontaneous fits of uncontrollable laughter. I've never seen anything like it and when he calms down he apologizes and explains he isn't losing his mind, it is all apart of the disease.

How cruel, to be broken in spirit with your head down crying hard as he was explaining to me his guilt that he won't live as long as the doctors originally thought, then to uncontrollably laugh and have no control over even his emotions during such a serious conversation.

Throughout my time spent with Eric today I said many quick prayers, *Please God, help me say all the things I have to say and leave nothing unsaid.*

I let Eric lead the conversation as to not wear him out or touch on the topics he couldn't handle, but he brought up on his own every topic I need to hear and discuss. *Thank you, God.*

With little time left, I'm so thankful I had two good hours with him today.

It is the oddest most unreal disease, this ALS. With my youngest daughter losing her dad to suicide and my oldest losing her dad to ALS, I cannot say which death is lesser of the two evils. Quickly, blindsided with no time to prepare or a deterioration and loss of quality of life, but with time to plan and prepare for death.

Today I thanked Eric for handling this nightmare disease like an absolute champ. For remaining strong, confident, positive and faith-filled with our daughter.

What he has given her in the face of death is love.



 

Holiday Traditions

Yesterday began this year's Christmas holiday traditions.

We have many.

Black Friday to us is staying in, turning on Christmas music, making hot cocoa, and decorating our home for Christmas. I strive for Currier & Ives moments and once the production of dragging out boxes of decor, decorating and cleaning is done, our home feels warm, festive and ready for Christmas.

Let me back up to yesterday though ... yesterday was the annual Christmas Tree Festival and in tradition, my girls and I walked through admiring hundreds of uniquely decorated Christmas trees, then we are off to a local landscaping nursery that has an impressive holiday scenes and decor for sale. Last but not least, our afternoon wraps up at the Waterloo, known for incredible desserts in a highly Christmas-decorated restaurant, never changing and exactly the same in my memories as a child shared with my grandmother.

Here is a pic of one of the tree's that I actually laughed out loud over, the Grinch stuck in a tilted over tree ...

This is my Mariah conquering the famous 18" high Long John milkshake, where you must stand on your knees in the booth to drink it or set it on the seat beside you ...

My Christmas shopping is almost complete!

In tradition, I am on track for Christmas. My shopping complete by November 30th and PAID for.  Christmas cards in mailboxes by December 1st (I'm still on track). Our home decorated on Black Friday (we are almost there). The month of December spent *stress free* enjoying one holiday event after the other. Endless Christmas music. Christmas shows on television in the evenings. Christmas concerts at church. Holiday lights. Endless celebrations keeping the meaning of Christmas as the reason for the season.

My favorite holiday embraced and celebrated to the utmost!

11.11.11

I've always thought same day/month/year dates were magical and significant.

I remember my own surprise when I realized the date of my 1st date with Miro (11.11.11) two weeks after the fact and wondered then if it was a sign of significance? It was, it is, and he is!

We are now exclusively dating. :)

It all happened so unexpectedly over the summer. Friends reuniting, having fun, casually getting together, and somehow, someway he became part of my everyday life.

I wasn't looking for a relationship and found a champion.

Last Sunday was 11.11.12, the one-year anniversary of our first date. As silly as it sounds, I was very reflective. Reflective of my thoughts on that significant date. Reflective of my relationship with him.

Sunday was important to me and as a *signs* kinda girl, the stars lined up in my favor.

Last minute plans for a community fundraiser and he called and asked if I could come up. After the event and walking to our cars, he asked if I had time for hot tea or coffee in the coffee shop (the very destination of our 1st date) and we did.

It was perfect and I was so happy to be sitting in that very special place.

One year later.

We have such a healthy relationship.

Such a good friendship.

We are boyfriend & girlfriend.

Turning 13

My youngest baby, Brooke, is now a teenager. When my oldest turned 13, I couldn't believe I had a teenager. Now my baby is a teenager, too.

Of course, I am reflective.

Memories of her birth, her toddler years, her personality now that was her then fine-tuned into such an impressive young woman. I knew she would be. Both of my girls are. I say that biased as their proud mom and I say that unbiased from the praise they receive from everyone who knows them.

A month before Brooke's birthday it was a battle that ended in a very heated argument between Brooke and I. As she approaches the 2nd year anniversary of her dad's death, she didn't want to recognize her birthday. She didn't want to celebrate it or receive a single present from anyone.

I didn't plan her birthday party production until the week before.

My heart bleeds when her's bleeds. I cry when she cries. Ignoring her 13th birthday wasn't going to happen.

She yelled through tears that her dad is dead and she doesn't want to celebrate. I yelled right back, "He chose not to live! You are alive and we celebrate life!"  I will crawl into her pit when she is there, but it was time to drag her out of her pit and I did.

Brooke had two wishes for her birthday: to swim with dolphins or ride 4-wheelers like she used to with her dad.

I have a friend who is a motorcross enthusiast I had reconnected with, thanks to Facebook. He set everything up and told me where to be and what time on Brooke's birthday. Brooke was excited and surprised when I told her she wasn't going to school that morning, that we were going 4-wheeling!

Brooke was excited when I called her off school, "Brooke won't be in today, today is her 13th birthday and I have special plans for her." The morning spent 4-wheeling, a family birthday party with karaoke, and her birthday party with friends over the weekend at Dave & Busters and a mall scavenger hunt made for a 13th birthday that Brooke said, "This is the best birthday ever!"

I like making their wishes and dreams happen.

Make a wish baby girl, I hope all your wishes come true! 

Happy 13th birthday ...

 



A Proud And Thankful Heart

Watching the election results all evening with my Mariah, shortly after 11:00 p.m. the results came in and Obama was re-elected as President of the United States.

It was what I expected, warned, and talked about with my daughters beforehand.

As the generations continue to become more entitled and feel their rights are unlimited, I do believe moral decay will continue to get worse. It has been written and slowly it is beginning to happen.

With all of this, I am so proud today with a thankful heart! Sounds surprising, huh?

When I look at the closest people in my life, I am proud of the Christians who spoke up and did not hesitate to state their beliefs in this important cause and stand their moral ground.

I come from a bloodline of strong women who will not be meek or silent.

My mom who openly and publically defends her faith.

My daughters who are steadfast in their faith and will passionately defend their morals against their own generation in school among their teen peers that are morally a hot mess. I am proud of the strong young women of faith that they are.

My girlfriends who are unshaken and publically profess their faith and politcal beliefs. One I am especially proud of for remaining a strong Republican when her husband is running for state Democratic office. Now that is a confident & strong woman! Supporting her husband, while not compromising her own beliefs, nor afraid to share them.

My male friends that voted in this campaign on the basis of their Christian faith. One who went against the very Democratic union he works for.

Men and women who remain unshaken and not silent when put in uncomfortable political conversations.

I am proud and thankful that my family and my closest friends share a core value of morals and Christian faith against a world that wants all their entitlement, rights, and thinks it's all going to get better.

America, a country once built on Christian values, the shifting has already begun, and we are no longer the majority.

Election Day

Today is Election Day.

Today is America's right to vote on the next President of the United States. It's as patriotic as 4th of July and in spirit and patriotism I do not vote early, rather I prefer to face the chaos at the polls on this special day.

Politics is not my passion, but I did become passionate about this race.

The more I know about the candidates the more passionate I became and the more reflective I became over my country and my beliefs.

Statistically we are a disaster and quite honestly I don't know who I am more aggravated with, Democrats who don't understand statistics and lost their morals or Christian Republicans who have kept their mouths shut as to not offend others.

The two topics they say you shouldn't discuss is religion and politics. They are both HOT buttons. I get that, BUT when it comes to voting on the next President of the United States as leader over our country with one that is for abortion (it is okay to kill unborn babies) and gay marriage and the other says it is not okay, you better start talking! Not to mention a host of other hot debate issues that reflect the candidates that oppose and support them.

Christians better start talking. Christians need to remember what they stand for and be willing to run to the battle line. There are so many political issues being debated with Biblical backing, but everyone wants to remain silent and keep their beliefs to themselves so there is no confrontation as to not upset anyone. Talk about being luke warm.

How do you say nicely, "Thou shalt not kill?"  Why are we afraid to say marriage was created by God and He said it is between man and woman. I have gay friends that I care for, but it doesn't mean that what I believe in stops at that friendship. I do believe when God says, "the borrower is slave to the lender" Proverbs 22:7. American is over 16 Trillion dollars in debt. That is beyond scary.

I also believe that in the end of times, things will continue to get worse and worse. Biblically it is written and I believe we are here.

My opinions are hard core and my faith is steadfast. I am thankful for my family that is united in faith & beliefs and not torn politically.

The race is close and this election day many Americans, families and friends are divided.

I pray for my country.

This election is big, but God is bigger and it is in His hands.

Thy will be done.